What is the skin’s microbiome?

Functioning as the exterior interface of the human body with the environment, skin acts as a physical barrier to prevent the invasion of foreign pathogens while being inhabited by the commensal microbiota – a complex community of microbes including bacteria, fungi and viruses. These microorganisms and their surrounding environment are the microbiome.

The skin microbiome is tremendously diverse in organism number and activity. The composition of the microbiome depends on intrinsic factors: the body part as the skin of each body part exhibits different microbe compositions, and physiology of the skin, which is related to a microenvironment characterized by moisture, dryness, and sebaceous content. In addition, the skin microbiome undergoes temporal changes with age, and also varies with genetics and gender. Finally, the microbiome is influenced by extrinsic factors, such as diet, lifestyle, hygiene routine, geographical location, climate, living environment, antibiotic and cosmetics use.

The microbiome is essential for maintaining skin barrier function by participating in essential physiological processes that occur in the skin. The microbiome also interacts directly with pathogenic microorganisms encountered on the skin surface.

In particular, the microbiome participates in physical, chemical, microbial and both innate and adaptive immunological ways in performing skin barrier functions. These interrelationships are the product of a well-controlled and delicately balanced microbiome.

However, this balanced system can quickly become unstable from continuous exposure to various extrinsic and intrinsic factors, including pollution, sun damage and irritating skincare products.

Changes in the skin microbiome can lead to pathophysiological problems, inducing inflammatory skin conditions:

• Atopic dermatitis
• Psoriasis
• Acne
• Rosacea

How can I improve my skin’s microbiome with skincare?

Balancing your skin’s microbiome takes a combination of prebiotic, probiotic and postbiotic ingredients. It’s important to find microbiome skincare that combines these three elements to increase results.

Here’s how the skin’s pro-, pre- and postbiotics work together to maintain the micrbiome’s balance:

• Probiotics are living microbes that exist on the skin and play a crucial role in stabilizing the microbiome.
• Prebiotics are the substances on the skin that help feed and encourage the growth and healthy balance of probiotics.
• Postbiotics are the byproducts (new beneficial substances) that probiotics generate as they break down on and within the skin’s surface, which include peptides, proteins, amino acids, enzymes, hyaluronic acid, lactic acid, ceramides, antioxidants and other substances that are vital for skin. Postbiotics help facilitate an optimal microbiome by locking in vital moisture and strengthening the skin’s barrier against environmental stressors.

When the microbiome is stable and healthy, you’ll see and feel the results on your skin:

• Skin is better equipped to protect itself against environmental stressors.
• Hydration levels are optimized and maintained.
• Sensitive and reddened skin is calmed.
• Skin issues diminish thanks to the restoration and maintenance of a healthy pH balance.

Our serum The wonder complexion contains ingredients that protect the microbiome and strengthen skin barrier:

Glyceryl glucoside

• stabilization of the skin barrier, thereby reducing the imbalance of commensal and pathogenic bacteria on the skin, invasion of pathogenic bacteria and onset of inflammation and immune reaction;
• prebiotic effects with potential positive effects on the natural healthy microbiome;
• promotion of faster regeneration of the epithelial barrier and as a result stabilization of the skin flora;

Ceramides

Ceramides make up around 50% of lipids of the skin barrier and are essential for a healthy and hydrated skin barrier. And a strong skin barrier keeps the microbiome

balanced.

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